Days after Baltimore City Police Officer Jemini Jones was found not guilty of raping a suspect, charges against his two Southwestern District partners that they didn?t do anything to stop the alleged attack were dropped.
In a brief court hearing Friday afternoon, a prosecutor said the state won?t pursue rape and misconduct-in-office charges against Brian Shaffer and Steven Hatley in light of Jones? acquittal on Tuesday. Shaffer and Hatley have been suspended without pay; a police spokesman said their status will be reviewed at a hearing next week.
“We never did anything wrong,” Shaffer said. Negative publicity from the case and the dissolution of the Flex Squad was frustrating, he said, because “we were the highlighted names.”
Hatley said he plans to stay with the department, while Shaffer said he wants eventually to move to a law enforcement job in Pennsylvania.
Jones had been accused of raping a marijuana suspect at the District station house in exchange for her release. Hatley and Shaffer were not accused of having sexual contact with the woman.
Defense attorney Marc Zayon, who represents Shaffer, said they “should never have been charged” with anything and the decision to drop the case “should have been made about a year and a half ago.”
Both men are eligible for an expungement of the charges; Zayonsaid he plans to file the paperwork for Shaffer immediately.
Police spokesman Matt Jablow said the department will continue internal investigations, but “in all likelihood,” after the hearing, Hatley and Shaffer “will be suspended with pay and placed on administrative duties.”
